Please Help me make sense of these codes. P1404 , and P0405 - EGR Related

[legend1011]

Okay,

One week ago today I cleaned my EGR valve because I had these codes: P1404 -EGR Valve Stuck Closed, and P0405 - EGR Sensor Circuit Low. After cleaning the unit I installed it and reset the code by leaving the negative terminal for 15 minutes. The codes did not return until Thursday (about 300 miles later). I went to autozone and sure enough it was the same codes I had before. I decided to tackle this project again this weekend. I removed the EGR valve and gave it a more in depth cleaning. I sprayed a whole bunch of intake cleaner into the big whole in the EGR valve and continuesly pressed and release the pintle removing any buildup that was within the valve. I cleaned until no more residue and carbon was present and waited 20 minutes before putting the negative battery terminal to the battery. As soon as I did the and started up the car the CEL came on immediately. I went back to autozone to verify the code and sure enough it was the same codes.

No based on the codes, P1404 -EGR Valve Stuck Closed, and P0405 - EGR Sensor Circuit Low, it sounds like it is not a mechanical part of the EGR valve that may be cleaned. It sounds like it is the electrical portion of this. Upon searching the forum I ran across a link finding someone with the same problem who cut into this EGR valve and cleaned the contacts on the "stamp-sized" electrical board. This person even had to resolder a section because corrosion withered away part of a trace or electrical contact. This is something that I can do, but has anyone gone this far? I am planning on selling this vehicle (1998 Passport) withen a few months to get a newer car so It might not make sense more me to shell out a 100 or so dollars to replace the EGR valve when I could attempt to salvage the one that is there.

Let me know what you guys think I should do; Thank you.

[marcre]

If you think you can do it, give it a shot. I'd check a junkyard if you can't get it to work. Also, you want to send cleaner down the smaller hole mostly. That is the one that leads to the intake. But from the codes you are getting, it doesn't seem that clogging is your problem.

marc

[Cheaptrick]

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